Produced by David Widger
Written by Herself
Being the Historic Memoirs of the Court of Louis XIV.
President de Nesmond.—Melladoro.—A Complacent Husband and His Love-sick
Wife.—Tragic Sequel.
President de Nesmond—upright, clear-headed magistrate as he was—was ofvery great service to me at the Courts of Justice. He always managed tooblige me and look after my interests and my rights in any legal disputeof mine, or when I had reason to fear annoyance on the part of myhusband.
I will here relate the grief that his young wife caused him, and it willbe seen that, by the side of this poor President, M. de Montespan mightcount himself lucky. Having long been a widower, he was in some measureaccustomed to this state, until love laid a snare for him just at the ageof sixty-five.
In the garden that lay below his windows—a garden owned by hisneighbour, a farmer—he saw Clorinde. She was this yeoman's onlydaughter. He at once fell passionately in love with her, as David onceloved Bathsheba.
The President married Clorinde, who was very pleased to have a fine nameand a title. But her husband soon saw—if not with surprise, at leastwith pain—that his wife did not love him. A young and handsomeSpaniard, belonging to the Spanish Legation, danced one day withClorinde; to her he seemed as radiant as the god of melody and song. Shelost her heart, and without further delay confessed to him this loss.
On returning home, the President said to his youthful consort, "Madame,every one is noticing and censuring your imprudent conduct; even theyoung Spaniard himself finds it compromising."
"Nothing you say can please me more," she replied, "for this proves thathe is aware of my love. As he knows this, and finds my looks to hisliking, I hope that he will wish to see me again."
Soon afterwards there was a grand ball given at the Spanish Embassy.Madame de Nesmond managed to secure an invitation, and went with one ofher cousins. The young Spaniard did the honours of the evening, andshowed them every attention.
As the President was obliged to attend an all-night sitting at theTourelle,—[The parliamentary criminal court.]—and as these young ladiesdid not like going home alone,—for their residence was some wayoff,—the young Spaniard had the privilege of conducting them to theircoach and of driving back with them. After cards and a little music,they had supper about daybreak; and when the President returned, at fiveo'clock, he saw Melladoro, to whom he was formally introduced by madame.
The President's welcome was a blend of surprise, anger, forcedcondescension, and diplomatic politeness. All these shades of feelingwere easily perceived by the Spaniard, who showed not a trace ofastonishment. This was because Clorinde's absolute sway over her husbandwas as patent as the fact that, in his own house, the President waspowerless to do as he liked.
Melladoro, who was only twenty years old, thought he had made a charmingconquest. He asked to be allowed to present his respects occasionally,when Clorinde promptly invited him to do so, in her husband's name aswell as in her own.
It was now morning, and he took leave of the ladies. Two days after thishe reappeared; then he came five or six times a week, until at last itwas settled that a place should be laid for him every day at thePre